Chinese hospital opens smog clinic

CHENGDU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- A hospital in southwest China's Sichuan Province announced on Tuesday that it has opened a special clinic for patients with symptoms related to smog.

More than 100 patients with sore throats, runny noses and coughs have been guided to the smog clinic since its establishment on Dec. 9 at the No. 7 People's Hospital of Chengdu City, the provincial capital, said Niu Weiyi, director of the hospital's clinic department.

Niu said nurses usually guide patients with these symptoms to conventional clinics, but will direct such patients who attend the hospital in times of smog to the specialist facility.

Smog-related diseases were previously treated in multiple clinics such as pneumology, ear-nose-throat and cardiovasology, and the reorganization helps patients avoid frequent visits to different parts of the hospital, he explained.

Thick smog has been seen in many parts of China, including Chengdu, intermittently in recent months, causing school and expressway closures in extreme cases.

Lin Qi, associate senior doctor of cardiovascular medicine, said doctors with the smog clinic will instruct patients about smog-related diseases and their prevention.

BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's state environmental watchdog has urged local environmental departments to issue smog alerts and report information on heavy air pollution in a timely manner.

The departments should publicize such information via local broadcasting, television, Internet, newspaper and social media, according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Full story